FRIDAY FEAST with Shona Husk

Greetings from our first Friday Feast for 2012! And what a great year it’s going to be with a fantastic line up of guest authors interspersed with the occasional ramble from me.

This week I’m delighted to welcome paranormal and fantasy romance author Shona Husk to the series, and not just because of the drool-worthy recipe she’s about to share. Shona’s August 2011 release, The Goblin King, the first in a paranormal romance trilogy about cursed Celtic heroes and their struggle to be free of the Shadowlands, has been generating loads of buzz in romance land, with good reason. Everyone I know who’s read it, loves it and I’m very much looking forward to getting stuck into my copy.

But Shona’s here to celebrate in indulgent chocolately style the release on January 31st of her novella, BRIGHTWATER BLOOD, from Samhain Publishing. How cool is that title? My mind starts swirling just reading it. But have a listen to this blurb:

To survive, they’ll have to think outside the circle.

Were-lion Lachlan Garvey is closing in on the Brightwater women, the last of a Shamanic line that the Council wants eradicated for their murderous use of magic. One minute he’s in his animal form, examining a dead body in a patch of charred grass. The next, he wakes up human – naked, shot, and lying in a circle of his own blood.

Dayna Brightwater is sure the man she’s bound with a blood spell is the one who just murdered her twin sister. Yet even if she did have the stomach for revenge killing, she doesn’t have the power. But what to do with him now? If she lets him go, he’ll kill her, too.

Trapped in the path of a deadly magical fire, Lachlan has to think fast–and talk faster–to convince the beautiful Shaman he’s innocent. As the roaring flames creep closer, Dayna must choose. Trust Lachlan and use magic to save them both…or flee. And live with the knowledge she caused his death, proving that no Brightwater is capable of love.

I love to cook, especially if it involves chocolate. Ice cream, brownies, cookies. Yum. Of course my family reaps the benefit of these tasty treats.

Today I’m going to share a recipe that started as a bit of a challenge. I wanted Toblerone brownies (who wouldn’t, brownies and Toblerone in one mouthful, yum!). The internet was most unhelpful so I set about amending a recipe I had. I have since modified this recipe again so make white chocolate and raspberry brownies (OMG to die for!)

The best part of this recipe is that it’s all done in 1 pot and you don’t need beaters, so there’s very little mess.

If you don’t like chocolate, or calories, look away now.

TOBLERONE BROWNIES

Ingredients:

200g unsalted butter chopped

125g dark cooking chocolate

250g brown sugar

3 medium size eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

250g all purpose (plain) flour

40g cocoa powder

125g Toblerone chopped (or choc chips)

100g Toblerone chopped extra. (I like dark, but milk also works or you could mix and match)

Phew! Now that’s what I call an indulgent recipe. Thanks, Shona. I think I’m going to test this out on my niece and nephews when they come to visit. That way I’ll get to try a slice while remaining safe in the knowledge there won’t be any leftovers for me to scoff.

All this chocolate has given me severe cravings, but seeing as I’m trying to be good at the moment – boring, I know – I have to live vicariously through others so would love to hear about your favourite chocolate indulgence. Come on, fess up. I’m sure you have plenty!

The raspberry version is adding ½ cup of frozen raspberries (I think, I used too many last time and is was delish but squishy) and ½ cup of white choc bits instead of the 125g of chopped chocolate—and no choc pressed on top.

Ooooh, Shona, definitely something dangerous.
We’re all running for our kitchens to make it.
And sounds like it will be great to eat while we read your books.
All your books sound fantastic and can’t wait to read them.
Suzi

Oh, look, I’m sorry, but this is evil! Eeeevillllll! Toblerone is bad enough, brownies are bad enough, but together, Eeeevillllll! How on earth is a girl supposed to concentrate on her writing, let alone watch her diet?

OMg toblerone n brownies . These two really2 tempted me to disband my diet at once. Nooo too much temptation lol. Woww Shona to be honest you are a new author to me but you really know how to tempt me to read your book by Offering me a very good brownies recipes:)

As usual, i’m late to the party but I’ll definitely be making these. They sound totally divine. And Cathryn, can you have Shona again so she can share her raspberry and white chocolate brownies. I NEED that recipe too 🙂

The raspberry brownies are based on this recipe-I just switch things around to make new flavours:

“The raspberry version is adding ½ cup of frozen raspberries (I think, I used too many last time and is was delish but squishy) and ½ cup of white choc bits instead of the 125g of chopped chocolate—and no choc pressed on top.”

How divine! Toblerone Brownies are going to blow any diet out of the water, but what a way to go!!! Although the raspberry version sounds like the perfect way to include three food groups in one hit 😉 so that makes them legit, right?

Love Celtic heroes so I’ll have to add Goblin King and Brightwater Blood to my TBR pile.

I just put on 5kgs LOOKING at that picture of the Toblerone brownies, Shona & Cath. 🙁 Not sure if I should add it to my recipe book or not – sigh.

I’ve zipped over to the Book Depos. to order THE GOBLIN KING, Shona. As part of my DarkSider Reading Challenge, you’re on the list to read – just have to get this deadline for my 3rd book out of the way and I’m burying myself in my TBR pile and not surfacing until I’ve completed a good binge!!! 🙂 Catch up time!

That’s going to be my strategy – only make when there are guaranteed visitors. It’s just far too risky otherwise.

I haven’t had a book binge for ages, Kylie. Like Shona, I have a time set aside each day for reading. Trouble is, the size of my to-be-read pile tells me I need much more than that. Would help if I stopped buying books but that’s just a silly idea!

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